Unwanted pregnancy

Why do adolescents and young girls face unintended pregnancy?

An unintended pregnancy is a pregnancy that is mistimed, unplanned, or unwanted at the time of conception. It is a core concept to better understand the fertility of populations and the unmet need for contraception (birth control). Unintended pregnancy mainly results from the lack of or inconsistent or incorrect use of effective contraceptive methods.

It is associated with an increased risk of problems for the mother and the baby. If a pregnancy is not planned before conception, a woman may not be in optimal health for childbearing. For example, women with an unintended pregnancy could delay prenatal care that may affect the health of the baby.

The consequences of unwanted pregnancy

Unplanned pregnancy, and in particular unwanted pregnancy, can have negative health, social, and psychological consequences. Health problems include greater chances for illness and death for both mother and child. Abortion is the most common and frequent consequence of unintended pregnancy and, in the developing world, can result in serious, long-term negative health effects including infertility and maternal death.

In addition, such childbearing has been linked with a variety of social problems, including divorce, poverty and child abuse. One of the most obvious is, of course, abortion.